Textile treatment



Patented Dec. 4, 1945 2,390 235 OFFICE TEXTILE TREATMENT Kenneth H.Barnard, Short Hills, N. J., and Boris Frankfurt, New York, N. Y.,assignors to Pacific Mills, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massa- Ichusetts No Drawing. Application April 23, 1945,

Serial No. 589,930

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of textile materials, and moreparticularly it provides a finish which imparts a high degree of washresistance to textile fabrics without detracting from the softness andother desirable properties thereof.

The invention is especially applicable to the finishing of cottonfabrics and yarns and has as an object the,creation of a durable textilefinish which will tend to protect the cellulose fibers during repeatedlaunderings from the harmful effects of the usual laundry detergents.These effects appear in the form of .losses in tensile strength whichare cumulative with successive washings. By this invention, losses intensile strength resulting from laundering are minimized, with thefabric is materially enhanced.

The invention involves treatment of the cloth with a combination ofchemicals preferably ap- Filed in a two-step process. The firsttreatment involves the application ofa lulose derivative and this isfollowed by the application of a material which in combination with thefirst treatment imparts to the fabric a highly improved resistance tohypochlorites, alkalies and soaps, even when the cloth is subjected tothe elevated temperatures usually encountered in laundering.Nevertheless, the fabric as herein treated has a pleasant, soft,linen-like, crisp feel which remains practically unchanged despiterepeated launderings.

The water-insoluble and alkali-soluble cellulose derivative may beapplied to the cloth as an alkaline solution of a cellulose ether, suchvas methyl cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose, followed by a treatment,as with an acid, ether. Thus, the fabric may be temperature in a 3.5%lose, or in a 3.5% lose, in a 45% tion. squeeed out to about 90% clothand the cloth is then immersed in an acid solution, for example 5%sulphuric acid, to insolubilize the ether to alkalies. The fabric isthoroughly rinsed after the acid treatment.

After such fixation and insolubilizing of the cellulose derivative, thefabric, in accordance with this invention, is treated with a quaternaryammonium compound which has the general formula to insolubilize theimmersed at room solution of methyl cellusolution of hydroxyethylcelluaqueous sodium hydroxide soluof the weight of the CH; CH] Rr-IIT-Xresult that the durability of thewater-insoluble cel- The alkalinecellulose solution is then dodecyl, hexadecyl and octadecyl, and R2 isan alkyl group having an aryl group substituted for a hydrogen atom ofthe alkyl group. For instance, R2 maybe a benzyl group and a suitablecompound thus may be Quaternary ammonium compounds of this naturecombine with the carboxyl groups of the insolubilized cellulosederivative to give an insoluble stable finish which withstands repeatedlaundering, and yet the cloth possesses a soft, pleasant feel.

A 2.5% aqueous dispersion of the above quaternary ammonium compound (25%solids) may be applied to the fabric, also at-room temperature, and thefabric may then be squeezed and dried. It is optional whether the fabricis dried intermediate the treatments with the cellulose derivative andwith the ammonium compound.

In 80 x 80 cotton print cloth treated in accordance with our invention,the average loss in tensile strength after five repeated AATCC Test No.4 washings has amounted to only 4 and 5% in the warp and fillingrespectively, as against from four to five times those losses inidentical un- March 23, 1943.

- We claim: A

1. The method of imparting improved wash resistance to a textilematerial, which comprises applying to the material an alkaline solutionof an alkali-soluble and acid-insoluble cellulose ether, then applyingan acid to insolubilize said cellulose ether, and thereafter applying tothe material an aqueous dispersion of a quaternary ammonium salt havingthe formula wherein X is a monovalent acid radical and R is an alkylgroup having at least 8 carbon atoms.

2. A textile material having improved wash resistance, said materialcarrying an adherent finish formed of the reaction product of anacidinsolubilized cellulose ether and a quaternary ammonium compoundhaving the formula CH: CH: CuHuC Hrlf-X wherein X is a monovalent acidradical and R is an alkyl group having at; least 8 carbon atoms. 3. Themethod of imparting improved wash 2 a,soo,a'ss resistance to a textilematerial. which comprises 4. A textile material having improved washapplying to the material an alkaline solution at resistance, saidmaterial carrying an adherent 4 hydroxyethyl cellulose, then' applyingan acid to finish formed of the reaction product or acidinsolubilizesaid hydroxyethyl cellulose, and insolubilized hydroxyethyl celluloseand a quaterthereatter applying to the material an aqueous 6 naryammonium compound having the formula dispersion of a quaternary ammoniumsalt having the formula O'H CH CH: CE: I r. x wherein x is a monovalentacid radical and n is an alkyl group having at least 8 carbon atoms.wherein x is a monovalent acid radical and R KENNETH H. BARNARD.

is an alkyl group having at least 8 carbon atoms. BORIS FRANKFURT.

